Greenhouse Gas Emmisions

Simmilar than EPBT calculations CO₂ pay back times as a measure for the climate change mitigation potential associated with PV power systems can also be calculated. CO₂ emissions mostly originate from the use of fossil fuels in the life cycle of the PV power systems (some other CO₂ emissions also occur). Examples of some other CO₂ emissions are emissions caused by the silica reduction process and the CO₂ emissions from the consumption of carbon electrodes in aluminium production. Greenhouse gas emissions other than CO₂ should also be considered since some of them have a large global warming potential relative to CO₂, which make that small emissions of those gases can have a significant contribution to the total Global Warming Equivalent as expressed in equivalent CO₂ emission. Examples of such gasses are SF₆ or CF₄, which may be used in plasma etching processes or in the cleaning of reactor chambers. Relation between CO₂ greenhouse effect and SF₆ greenhouse effect equivalent is 1 : 24,000 (CO₂ : CF₄ - 1 : 6,500). The results of Japanese study shows that CO₂ emissions for silicon-based rooftop PV power systems are up to 20 g-C/kWh, except for c-Si when CO₂ emissions from Si material production are fully included. These emissions are much lower than an average emission of 126 g-C/kWh for the average electrical output of the Japanese utilities.

Environmental Impacts - Links and Studies

Reinhard Haase - facts about global warming, climatic changes and CO₂ emmisions.

ICBE CO₂ Reduction Calculator - this calculator estimates the time and cost required to phase out CO₂ production with renewable energy and carbon sinks. You can make custom calculations in the following table by modifying values or adding different types of sinks. Since CO₂ has a global effect, these systems and sinks could be anywhere in the world and claims to these reductions can be secured by obtaining emission reduction credits (ERC's) through this and other institutions.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - National Photovoltaic Environmental, Health and Safety Assistance Center.

Krewitt, W., Schlomann, B.: External costs of electricity generation from renewable energies compared to electricity generation from fossil energy sources; DLR, Institut für Technische Thermodynamik, Abteilung Systemanalyse und Technikbewertung, Stuttgart, Fraunhofer Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI), Abteilung Energiepolitik und Energiesysteme, Karlsruhe, April 2006, updated May 2007.

Potencial Health and Environmental Impacts Associated With the Manufacture and Use of Photovoltaic Cells; EPRI Technical Report 1000095, November 2003.

Reports

	Sensfuß, F. et al.: Analysis of the Impact of Renewable Electricity Generation on CO2 Emissions and Power Plant operation in Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe, 10. Symposium Energieinnovation, 13-15 Februar 2008, Graz, Austria.
	Klobasa, M., Ragwitz, M.: Gutachten zur CO2-Minderung im Stromsketor durch den Einsatz Erneuerbaren Energien; Bericht für die Arbeitsgruppe Erneuerbare Energien Statistik (AGEE-Stat) im Auftrag des Zentrum für Sonnenergie und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), Fraunhofer Institut für System und Innovationsforschung, Karlsruhe, Januar 2005.
	Alsema, E., Nieuwlaar, E.: Environmental Aspects of PV Power Systems; IEA PVPS Task 1 Workshop, Report 97072, 25-27 June 1997.
	Alsema, E., de Wild-Scholten, M.J.: The Real Environmental Impacts of Crystaline Silicon PV Modules: An Analysis Based on up-to-date Manufacturers Data.
	Alsema, E.: Energy Requirements and CO2 Mitigation Potential of PV Systems; Photovoltaics and the Environment. Keystone, CO, July 1998, Workshop Proceedings. Brookhaven National Laboratory, Report Number BNL-52557, 1999.
	Aguado-Monsonet, M.A.: The environmental impact of photovoltaic technology; Task 6, INTERSUDMED Project, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies Sevilla, Spain, January 1998.

Papers

	Reich, N.H. et al,: CO2 emissions of PV in the perspective of a renewable energy economy; 22nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 3-7 September 2010, Milan, Italy.
	Beloin-Saint-Pierre D. et al.: Environmental Impact of PV systems: effects of energy sources used in production of solar panels. 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, September 2009.
	Morris, S., Ftenakis, V.: MARKAL Analysis of PV Capacity and CO2 Emissions/ Reduction in the US; 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-3, May 12-16, 2003, Osaka, Japan.